Performance Team - Expert Support

As a National Sports University, Umeå University aims to enable elite sports in combination with academic studies in order to strengthen Swedish sports' international competitiveness. In addition to the study support offered by the elite sports agreement, as an RIU student you can also utilize Umeå School of Sport Sciences performance team. The performance team works preventively and consists of specialists in physiotherapy, physiology and exercise science, nutrition, and sports psychology. All with the aim of helping you achieve your performance goals.

Sports Medicine Support

By preventing sports injuries, you as an elite athlete can achieve increased performance. Through our sports medicine support (physiotherapy), you are offered Functional Movement Screening (FMS) and assessment in case of injuries.

More information and booking

Functional Movement Screening (FMS) consists of various functional tests to examine strengths and weaknesses regarding balance, functional mobility, coordination, strength, and core stability. Through different tests, we get an understanding of deficiencies and what we should focus the training on to make you stronger and achieve a biomechanically advantageous movement pattern.

Through our Sports Medicine support, you can also receive assessment when an injury occurs.

Sports Medicine support (physiotherapy) is offered in collaboration with Capio Sports Medicine AB during weeks 35-51 and weeks 2-23. Times offered are:

• Mondays 08:00-12:00
• Wednesdays 13:00-17:00

Our physiotherapists:

Roberth Forsgren, licensed physiotherapist
Roberth has been working as a physiotherapist since 2003. He has extensive clinical experience in neurorehabilitation, orthopedics, and sports medicine. Special interest in hip, pelvis, back, and rehabilitation training.

Anna Lindström, licensed physiotherapist
Physiotherapist working at Sports Medicine since 2014. Anna has a master's degree in physiotherapy and a master's degree in sports medicine, with a clinical special interest in knees, feet, and shoulders.

Health care cost insurance

RIU students are offered the opportunity to sign up for Folksam's health care insurance. The health care insurance allows you to seek medical care and have certain costs covered at private healthcare providers that Folksam has agreements with. In Umeå, the healthcare providers are Aleris and Capio Sports Medicine. (Full list available at https://www.folksam.se/forsakringar/idrottsforsakring/elitidrottsforsakring).

The insurance is available in two levels, Basic and Basic+. The difference between the two levels is as follows: Basic covers costs for diagnosing injuries on the entire body but only covers surgery and post-treatment of knee injuries. The Basic health care insurance costs 2940 SEK per year. Basic+ covers costs for diagnosing and potential treatmentand post-treatment of injuries on the entire body. Basic+ also includes coverage for travel expenses to healthcare providers. The Basic+ health care cost insurance costs 6720 SEK per year. Both levels also include some sports psychology support.

The health care insurance is a group insurance in agreement with the National Sports Federation (RF) and therefore only applies while the student is enrolled at an institution affiliated with RF, either as a National Sports University (RIU) or an Elite sports-friendly universities (EVL).

If you, as an RIU student, are interested in this insurance, please contact Stefan Sandlund, physical trainer at Umeå School of Sport Sciences. More information is available on the Canvas platform for elite sports students.

If you are injured or ill and have questions about the insurance, you can call Folksam for elite sports injuries at 08-7728795.

Tests in the UMEX lab and the Performance Development Lab

Through various tests, you can evaluate your physical status and develop your fitness and endurance training. You are also offered help with training planning, exercise selection, and instructions based on your goals, conditions, and evaluation of previous training.

More information and booking

The physiological tests are carried out in collaboration with the UMEX lab, where modern and reliable equipment for testing/research is used. An iDXA is used for body composition measurements

The UMEX lab provides conditions for Vo2-max tests, biodex, strength, and explosiveness measurements, as well as additional equipment for other types of measurements.

The tests are reviewed and followed up by Joel Kärrman and Stefan Sandlund. This takes place in our own performance development lab, where there is also the possibility for technical reviews and simpler measurements.

In the Umeå School of Sport Sciences performance development lab, there are opportunities to monitor progress in training. Measurement tools for both strength and endurance properties are available. For example; lactate meters, cable sensors, accelerometers, as well as free weights, a wide range of bands, and other endurance tools.

Joel Kärrman, project assistant
Employed at Umeå School of Sport Sciences and responsible for the performance lab. Joel is a resource for all RIU students and can help coordinate tests and training plans.

Stefan Sandlund, project assistant
Employed at Umeå School of Sport Sciences and coordinates the performance test activities. Stefan is a resource for all RIU students and can help coordinate tests and training plans.

Nutritional Counseling

Nutrition is significant for your physical and mental performance. It is important to consume energy and nutrients at the right time and in the right amounts. Together with our licensed dietitian, you can take your performance and health to new levels.

More information and Booking

It is essential for you as an athlete to understand the relationship between food and performance in order to train and compete at the highest level. Through nutritional consolations, you can work with our dietitian to review and plan your diet based on your specific sport and preferences. Nutritional counseling is conducted in collaboration with the Department of Food, Nutrition and Culinary Science.

EwaCarin Sehltstedt, Licensed Dietitian
Employed at the Department of Food, Nutrition and Culinary ScienceEwaCarin teaches in the field of sports nutrition at both undergraduate and advanced levels at her own department, as well as in sports courses at other departments within the university.

Sports Psychology Conversations

By managing emotions, thoughts, reactions, and behaviors, you as an athlete can optimize your performance. Through our performance team, you can receive sports psychological counseling as support in your performance development.

More Information and Booking

Common themes for sports psychological counseling include managing stress, pressure, and nervousness in sports, motivation, goal-setting strategies, acting as you wish despite negative thoughts, limiting beliefs about your own abilities, and behavior change.

Themes for sports psychological counseling may involve managing anxiety, uncertainty, negative thoughts, difficulties in handling emotions, unhelpful behaviors, or other recurring experiences related to athletic performance that you wish to change. You can also seek help for depression, anxiety, stress, and issues related to overtraining.

The Sports psychology counseling are conducted in collaboration with the Department of Psychology and the Sports Psychology Clinic. The work is primarily based on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT).

Sofia Levin, Licensed Psychologist
Licensed psychologist and doctoral student in psychology. Sofia is employed at the Department of Psychology, and her dissertation project focuses on risk factors for sports injuries and motivation for injury prevention. In addition, Sofia teaches courses in the field of sports psychology with a focus on mental health, motivation, and behavior change. Sofia will meet you as an RIU student for an initial exploratory conversation.

Afsaneh Moharer, Licensed Psychologist
Licensed psychologist and clinical coordinator for the psychology clinic at Umeå University. Afsaneh is employed at the Department of Psychology. Her responsibilities include clinical work and teaching in conversation methodology and professional courses in the psychology program.

Marius Sommer, Mental Advisor
Marius is employed as a lecturer at the Department of Psychology and holds a PhD in psychology. Marius's research mainly focuses on sports and performance, emphasizing concepts such as motivation and self-regulated learning. Marius has previously served as a mental advisor for the Swedish Snowboard Team leading up to the 2014 Olympics.

Study Guidance for Dual Careers

Umeå School of Sport Sciences offers guidance to all elite athlete students regarding the elite athlete agreement and your commitment to dual careers.

More Information and Booking

You can receive study guidance related to your educational program or the course you are studying primarily through your program or departmental study advisor.

Contact Tove Mårs, dual career advisor for Umeå School of Sports Sciences, if you have specific questions regarding the elite athlete agreement, who can sign the agreement, how to proceed if you want to sign an agreement, and how the agreement works. Tove is also available as support for planning when your elite sports and studies overlap.

Umeå School of Sports Sciences also has a dual career coordinator, Pernilla Eriksson, who is the project manager for the National Sports University. You can contact her for more general questions about elite sports and studies at Umeå University.